Hi, my name is Harper Nardone and I’m a sophomore here at Penn State. I’m from Long Valley, New Jersey and enjoy getting to call University Park my second home for months on end. I’m taking SC200 because it fulfills my requirement for a Natural Science, and I heard about it from many friends who enjoyed it and even my academic advisor. Currently, I am in the Division of Undergraduate Studies and studying classes among psychology, criminology, and anthropology. I am not exaggerating when I say I really have no idea what I want to do with my life. I know so many students say that, especially those in DUS, but it’s true and I patiently wait for the “ah ha!” moment where I realize what I want to spend the rest of my future doing. So for now, courses like this one are in my schedule to help me along the way.

Last year, when I came in as a freshman, I actually began as a possible BioChem major. I excelled in science courses in high school and enjoyed them as well. I’m not positive where this came from, though, since the occupations in my family vary from hairdresser to security guard to fashion designer, but I was really set on following through with what I was good at. Now I don’t know whether it was the nerves of my first day at college or whether science is not meant to be my calling anymore, but as soon as my first Chem class was over, I decided it just wasn’t for me. Running from the classroom, I dropped it from my schedule. That brings me to today, no longer planning to be a science major and most likely a psychology major instead.

Maybe this will still work for me, though. I was inspired with BioChem not just from getting good grades in high school, but also because I’m obsessed with shows like Law and Order: SVU, NCIS, and Criminal Minds. I wanted to be a forensic scientist like Abby Sciuto, not just because she gave off the coolest vibe ever, but because she was working in a lab to help solve crimes by analyzing evidence. I guess if that dream doesn’t come true in my future, I can end up being like my next favorite character, Spencer Reid. He is an FBI agent in Criminal Minds and the youngest person in the Behavioral Analysis Unit – and also a complete genius. Perhaps studying psychology and criminology will set me up on a path similar to his (even if it is all just from TV). To fall in love with Reid like I did, you can watch some of his goofy moments right here. Or if you’re more of a Twitter person, you should follow Matthew Gray Gubler, aka Reid, because he is quite the comedian.

Nonetheless, I think I will enjoy SC200. It sounds like it will be somewhat of a workload, but it also presents itself as one of the most intriguing classes ever. Just by reading the syllabus I’ve learned that it does not work like other college courses and hopefully that is for the better. I have never been able to actually choose exactly what I want to learn about, and it is exciting to know we will be going over things like aliens, time, and cancer. And who knows, maybe it’ll even turn my mindset back to science.